How to save your friends life
by special agent Ali
Summary: Barney Stinson is an awesome man. A Laser tag champ who is good at scoring chicks. His nights are always Legendary and he's always awesome. That is the impression he's always tried to give. His friends know the real him though and Marshall is determined to make Barney break away from his mask for one night. It may be the worse mistake he's ever made.
1. Chapter 1

"Go for Barney" he said in his usual charming and happy voice.

"Barney? It's Cheryl, Jerry's wife" she told him. "Oh…hi there?" he asked.

"I am so sorry to have to tell you this sweetheart, but…Jerry is dead honey" she said. Barney could hear her break at that and sob.

"I am sorry to hear that" he said. His voice was distant.

"You know he did love you" she added, catching his tone.

"Yeah, I'm sure he did" Barney growled.

"Barney…"

"No!" Barney snapped into the phone. "If he truly loved me Cheryl he wouldn't have abandoned me when I was only six then wait thirty years to see me!" he added angrily.

Barney's friends quieted and stared at him with worry. Barney ignored the stares.

"I know Barney, Jerry told me how much he regretted that and loved that you wrote to him and tried to reconnect"

"Yeah, I tried and all it got me was more pain and heartache, I'm sorry Cheryl, but Jerry is no father to me and I will not be at his funeral, sorry you wasted your time calling" he told her and hung up.

His four friends continued to stare at him. "Don't start on me…" he hissed.

"Barney…" Marshall said and he glared at him.

"I said don't start on me Marshall…I tried to reconnect with him once and it didn't work!" he snapped. He then stood. "I'm sorry your dad is gone but my father isn't like yours who cared about you every day of your life" he added and then stormed off.

Marshall saw a single tear fall before he stormed off though. 'Oh Barney, you do care though and I will prove it' he decided.

"Poor Barney, I can't imagine spending nearly your entire life wondering who your dad is, finding him and failing to reconnect, then hearing he's dead and feeling too much pain and betrayal to want to say goodbye" Ted murmured.

"Which is why Barney has us for friends, he has to say goodbye to him and finally give himself some closure" Marshall replied. "It's going to suck and I hate doing it to him again but…it has to be done" he added.

"Be careful baby" Lily warned.

"I know Lil, he's going to hate me for this but it really has to be done" Marshall replied.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hi all. So I changed the story around but I think I needed to tell it differently. Its mostly about Marshall and Barney's friendship. Its kinda like when Ted found out Barney and Robin slept together and they had a huge fallout. Its that kind of story anyway.**_

"What do you plan to do?" Robin asked curiously.

Marshall sighed. "I'm going to force him to go Robin. I'm going to need help though"

"What can we do?" Ted asked.

"Right now all I need is Carly's number Ted" Marshall replied. Ted grabbed his phone and scrolled through his contacts.

"I still have it…mostly for emergencies now…though she was pretty good in bed"

"That sounds so wrong Ted" Lily replied. Ted shrugged. "I think Barney rubbed off on me" he said.

"That's not a good thing bro" Marshall quipped as Ted called Carly.

"Ted? It's not a good time right now…" Carly answered.

"I know…your mom just called Barney and he shot her down…we were hoping you could convince him to go" Ted told her.

"I guess…" Carly replied. Ted could hear her softly crying. "I am so sorry for your loss Carly" he added.

"Thanks…he was a good dad…I wish Barney could see that"

"Maybe you could prove it" Ted replied.

"I'll be at that bar of yours in one hour" Carly answered and hung up.

"She'll be here in about an hour…I really hope you know what you're getting us into Marshall"

"I'll take all the blame guys…he has to do this…he'll regret it if he doesn't finally make peace" Marshall replied.

"I know you want peace Marshmallow but just don't be too hard on him, Jerry wasn't like your dad" Lily advised.

Marshall put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "I know baby but I have to try" he said.

"That's what I love about you Marshall" Lily replied.

The four chatted till Carly came. Marshall stood and followed Ted to her. He explained the situation and she nodded when he finished.

"I'm in long as I get none of the blame and you protect me if Barney tries to hurt me" she said.

"Deal" Marshall agreed. He led her out and the gang followed.

"I'm taking Carly to find Barney…you three can go upstairs and set up for the intervention…but if you don't want to get involved that's fine" Marshall said.

"We're all in this together Marshall, Barney has to understand we're doing this for his own good and we're all his friends here" Ted answered.

Marshall smiled at that. He was hoping for the support.

"Thanks…we'll be back" he said and he got a taxi.

They found Barney in a strip club. He wasn't interested or willing to leave though. Before he could make a scene Marshall simply paid off his lap dance partner and lifted the blonde over his shoulder.

He had Carly wait in the cab with the meter running. Marshall ignored his friends protests and put him in the cab. He got in beside him and Barney was trapped between his friend and half sister.

"Oh my god…you got her to help too?" Barney yelled at Marshall when he saw Carly.

Marshall just told the driver where to take them. "Relax bro, just going to hang with your friends…you need us now…not strippers" he said.

Barney folded his arms with an angry look. He didn't speak the rest of the way. He didn't even speak when he followed Marshall after he paid the fare.

He did however speak when they got inside. He saw the banner and turned a new and angrier look on Marshall.

"You son of a bitch" he hissed.

"Please…can you just hear us out?" Marshall pleaded. Barney only glared at him but sat on the couch.

Marshall and Carly had written a short letter in the cab. Ted read his first then Robin, Lily and Carly went. Marshall then read his.

Barney had huffed through them all and then scoffed when it was over.

"You people make me sick! I told you not to start with me and look what you bastards go and do!" he screamed.

Marshall cleared his throat. "It was…"

"It was for your own good Barney" Ted interrupted. He shot Marshall a look that told him not to correct him.

"I thought you were my friend Theodore" Barney hissed at him.

"I am…that's why I helped plan this Barney" Ted replied calmly.

"Some friend" Barney spat.

"Barney…"

"Save it Lily! I am done listening…just leave me alone!" He yelled and stormed out of the apartment slamming the door.

"Give him an hour to calm down then we'll try again" Marshall said.

"Are you sure Marshall? He's never going to forgive us and we might just lose him you know" Robin asked.

"No…we won't…Barney has lost too much to give us up…Marshall is right we have to help him make peace with his dad" Ted replied.

"If you two say so" she answered with a worried look.

"Hey no one likes the truth Robin but it has to be done…its why we did our own interventions…sometimes you have to save a friend even if it ends up with them hating you for it" Marshall said.

"Just don't overdo it Marshall" Lily said. Marshall nodded and they sat on the couch together.

He left an hour later and went to Barney's house.


	3. Chapter 3

Barney scowled when he opened the door. "What the hell do you want now Marshall?" he asked bitterly.

"To help you Barney, you are my friend you know" he answered. Barney scoffed at that and folded his arms.

"You sure have a funny way of showing that" he muttered.

"I know and I'm sorry it hurt you...can I come in and talk to you?" Marshall asked.

Barney sighed but let him in. He was shocked that the man was alone though.

"Where's the others?" he asked. "Keeping busy I guess" he answered.

"So it's just you then" Barney muttered. Marshall nodded and put his arm around Barney. "Yeah…come on pal we need to talk" he said and motioned to the couch.

Barney just shrugged him off. "I don't know what you're talking about Erickson! I don't need you or your stupid talks" he hissed.

"Barney…" Marshall said and Barney just shook his head. "No…I'm not listening to you anymore…I can't take no more stupid interventions! I can't stand him Marshall I just can't!" Barney yelled.

Marshall sighed but moved back to the door. "Fine…but it won't change my mind either Barney…you need to do this"

"Why! Give me one damn good reason I should go Marshall!" Barney screamed. Marshall didn't even blink at his friends outrage. He only sighed.

"Because he's your dad Barney" he said softly. Barney huffed and folded his arms. "He may have been the one to get my mom pregnant but he's no father to me" he said coldly.

"Barney" Marshall whispered and the blonde shook his head. "No Marshall…" Barney said defiantly. He stared into his friends eyes and Marshall could tell he wasn't changing his mind.

"I'm not going to his funeral Marshall! I know you miss your dad and I'm sorry he's gone but...my dad…my dad wasn't like yours…your dad never left you when you were just a little boy" Barney replied.

"That's why we set up that dinner...what happened that night?" Marshall asked.

Barney sighed. "I tried to make it work Marshall but" he said and stopped with a small sigh. Marshall quickly moved to him. "But what?" he prompted.

"Jerry's betrayal apparently wasn't just walking out on me Marshall...he named his son Jerome Junior...he has another son that gets everything I never got!" Barney replied.

Barney then did something that made Marshall regret his actions. He started to cry a little bit. A few tears washed down his cheek and he angrily brushed them away.

"I then stole that stupid hoop from him!" Barney shouted. He told Marshall how he left the house and what he yelled to his dad. "I just can't let it go Marshall...I can't go to his funeral and pretend we're good...we'll never be good and you trying to make me isn't helping"

Marshall helped Barney sit down and rubbed his back. "You really should try though Barney...he's not alive anymore and he is your dad" Marshall whispered.

Barney looked at him and Marshall could see the betrayal in his eyes. "Fine...I'll go if only to shut you up...but after this funeral you can forget me ever being your friend again Marshall Erikson!" he told him.

Marshall gave a small sigh. He had hoped it wouldn't come to that.


End file.
